Storing photovoltaic-thermal energy with volcanic tuff stones
Scientists in China have used ground heat exchangers based on volcanic tuff stones to improve storage capabilities and efficiency of photovoltaic-thermal systems. Their experiments showed that the proposed combination effectively improves PV module cooling and thermal efficiency.
EcoFlow launches residential energy management system
At CES 2025, EcoFlow has launched its Oasis energy management platform, which uses AI to optimize home energy consumption, storage, and solar power use.
Hungary approves measures for solar on apartment buildings
Hungary has decided to allow apartment owners to jointly install solar panels and will only permit solar plants equipped with grid-connected inverters from July 2025.
Taiwan maintains solar FITs to support residential PV deployment
Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) says its feed-in tariff (FIT) for PV systems up to 10 kW in size will be maintained at TWD 5.7055 ($0.17)/kWh, with the aim of further supporting homeowners and small businesses adopting solar.
‘High electricity prices in California have nothing to do with renewables’
Stanford University professor Mark Z. Jacobson spoke to pv magazine about recent research work showing that California could easily rely on a wind-water-solar-dominated large grid. He says the state’s current electricity prices are high because of several reasons that have nothing to do with renewables. These include high fossil gas prices and the cost upgrading aging transmission and distribution lines, among others.
Germany hits 62.7% renewables in 2024 electricity mix, with solar contributing 14%
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) reports that Germany generated 72.2 TWh of solar in Germany in 2024, accounting for 14% of total electricity generation.
Hoymiles launches 5.12 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery for rooftop PV applications
The Chinese manufacturer said its new LB-5D-G2 battery offers excellent performance with 5.12 kWh capacity for a single unit and up to 81.92 kWh for 16 batteries running in parallel.
2024 delivers mixed solar outcomes despite heat records
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that variations in weather patterns, including El Niño and regional droughts, shaped solar energy performance worldwide last year.
Best practices for PV-powered heat pump design
A British-Swedish research team has reviewed all models for designing and simulating solar-powered heat pumps systems of various complexities. Based on this work, the scientists proposed a new method combining five models across multiple computer programs into a single analysis tool that reportedly produces accurate critical metrics for technical, economic, and climate impact analysis.
Samsung launches monobloc air-to-water heat pumps
The Korean manufacturer said its new products are now available in the North American market and are suitable for multi-unit homes, apartments, new-builds and retrofits. The systems work with new AI technology and reportedly perform better when connected to a PV system.
